Double-Edged Sword
by RettaTheNotSoWildCat
Summary: Some changes to the base plot but mostly the same.Takes place during Season 1.OCs and some OOC.Loretta Walker is a statue to other students at the Academy.Few people see past either her looks or the emotionless exterior.How will her prescence at a school she doesn't want to attend affect lives for the others.Can she help save the world or will her past catch up to her too soon?


"Loretta Walker, please report to duel field one." The intercom repeated the statement.

A girl rose from her seat and walked steadily towards the centre of the ring. Her manner was calm and confident, but it lacked the arrogant swagger of those that graduated high from prep-school. That was not the only thing that was unusual about her.

Though she was short, about five foot one, her figure was almost perfect and well-proportioned. Her skin was nearly pure white, which contrasted with her hair and dress. Pitch-black waist-length bangs made her pixie cut look even choppier. All her clothing was black too, trimmed with electric blue or pastel pink. Pale green eyes sparkled in her face, but they were blank of emotion, giving a chilling feeling to her fairy-like appearance.

When she reached the assigned section, she didn't wait for her proctor's introductions. Despite her cold exterior, her stomach was full of butterflies. It had been a while since she had dueled so openly. So she simply said, "Can we just get this over with, please?"

The guy she was facing laughed. "Is your impatience enthusiasm or nerves?" He asked, giving her a reassuring smile.

Denial was her best bet.

"Neither. It's actually boredom; I've been waiting for hours to get my place."

He raised an eyebrow at that. A light flashed on his duel disk, showing it was active.

"You first, applicant."

A feral smile touched Loretta's face, causing the proctor to flinch. She drew a card and glanced at her hand. Game on.

**LORETTA: 4000**

**PROCTOR: 4000**

"I place one facedown then activate the spell card _Pot of Greed_." She drew two more cards. Her smile grew. She played the spell card _Call of the Strength_.

"This duel is over." She declared. "Now the monster with the highest stats comes out of each of our decks."

The proctor blinked in surprise, and then in confusion as _Cosmo Queen (ATK: 2900; DEF: 2450) appeared_ on his side of the field.

"I don't see how that helps you. My monster is strongest."

It was true, it could easily beat the 2400 defence points of_ Fire_-_Hunter (ATK: 0000; DEF: 2400) _on Loretta's side of the field.

"Since it is, now its attack is doubled due to the effect of _Call of the Strength_."

Chazz and his friends were sitting in the stands. Each of them made a derisive noise.

"What's she playing at?"

"Maybe she's not as good as she thought. He's got a monster with 5200 attack points now."

"2400 is a reasonable stat but it's not likely to be highest in a situation like this, so the doubling effect is a major drawback in that strategy." A recently accepted Bastion Misawa said with a frown.

Despite the monster she was facing, Loretta was calm, twisting a bang around her finger. The proctor stood, hand on hip and a cocky smile on his face.

"Just hurry-"

"Hurry up and end my turn?" She interrupted. "Sorry, honey, but I don't even think I'm going as far as my battle phase. Before you lose that is."

The proctor looked at her, dumbfounded. Then the laughing started. It echoed around the arena; nobody believed she could win, let alone that fast.

"What can you do, pipsqueak? My monster is thousands of points stronger than yours. You've lost; now face your defeat like an adult."

Loretta raised an eyebrow at the outburst; disdain still didn't mar her appearance.

"In answer to your question, this is what I can do." Her next statement caused the examiner to freeze. In almost a whisper, she said, "I activate the trap card _Payback_."

"What does that do Bastion?" A guy in the row in front of the genius asked.

"Well, um… I can't lie, I have no idea."

The guy in front began laughing. "Something the great intellectual doesn't know. I've got to congratulate that girl."

Bastion struggled to work out if that was a jab or a compliment. He gave up and turned back to the duel at hand.

"Not heard of it?" I doubted you would have. All the attack points of every monster in attack mode are added together. So that's 5200 points." A glowing orb of energy formed in the middle of the field as _Cosmo Queen_'s attack dropped to zero.

"Now the full energy is released at both of us, going through any of our own defence monsters first, and the difference is dealt to us as battle damage. So…"

The proctor's jaw dropped. "I would take 5200 points of damage, but you only take… You're going to win first turn."

A frown touched the girl's face.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. It's not very sporting seeing as you didn't choose any of the cards you played, but I was told to finish A.S.A.P." She bit her lip.

A flash of light nearly blinded everyone in the stadium as the energy was released. The proctor was knocked off his feet but Loretta didn't even flinch, or even notice the substantial hit on her life-points.

**LORETTA: 1200**

**PROCTOR: 0000**

"You're in, pipsqueak. You passed with flying colours."

Loretta nodded, looking slightly hesitant before offering a hand to the proctor who was struggling to his feet. She headed off to get a uniform with an uneasy feeling in her gut. She didn't think she deserved to win; how could she go straight to Obelisk blue, just because she was a female?

"Well that wasn't too shabby." Chazz sounded haughty as he glared at her retreating back. She was a threat to his reputation; she looked like she would challenge the school's hierarchy, and with talent like that, she would bend the natural balance. He would be thrown back into the dirt. Everything he had worked for would be ruined if he lost to her.

However, Jaden, who had just arrived, was buzzing at the prospect. There was someone who could compare with him. He laughed loudly; this year was going to be fun.

** Next chapter should be up soon. Please read and review :)**


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